Vanessa Bryant calls for lawmakers to pass helicopter safety bill
The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would require all helicopters certified to carry six or more people to be equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System
Vanessa Bryant has known unimaginable grief since losing her husband Kobe Bryant and 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant in a helicopter crash earlier this year. Now she’s using that tragedy as inspiration to urge Congress to pass a new helicopter safety bill named after them.
Thursday, Democratic lawmakers introduced the “Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act,” which according to CNN, “would require all helicopters certified to carry six or more people to be equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System, a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder.”
ORLANDO, FL – JUNE 14: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers holds his daughter, Gianna, after the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in Game Five of the 2009 NBA Finals on June 14, 2009. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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“I strongly urge that the United States Congress pass a federal law that would improve the safety of helicopters operating in this country,” Bryant said in a statement supporting the legislation. “I believe there is a chance that Kobe and Gianna would still be alive today if their helicopter had been equipped with the safety equipment required by this pending federal legislation.”
“I believe that these safety measures will save many lives,” the 38-year-old mother continued.
Vanessa Bryant, wife of the late Kobe Bryant, urges lawmakers to pass a helicopter safety bill named for the late NBA legend https://t.co/ZS1i5KSpuj pic.twitter.com/Pt4mKamWFt
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 18, 2020
“As passengers traveling on aircrafts we assume that proper safety measures are in order to prevent accidents from happening before we fly. It’s unfortunate that this is not the case and aircraft companies must do their part to protect lives.”
A similar bill had been introduced by Rep. Brad Sherman of California in January directly following the crash that killed Bryant’s loved ones and seven others.
However, Sherman says this newest version was updated after the Bryant family reached out to add their support to the effort.
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“Having Kobe’s and Gianna’s names associated with this federal law that has the potential to save countless lives would be a fitting tribute to their memory,” said Bryant, who noted she was deeply moved by the gesture.
She has also proposed that the helicopter industry “consider renaming the black box to Mamba 8 Box in honor of the 3 young Mamba team players, the 2 Mamba coaches and the 3 Mamba parents onboard, equaling 8.”
The January crash claimed the lives of the 41-year-old NBA legend, Gianna, Payton Chester, 13; Sarah Chester, 45; Alyssa Altobelli, 14; Keri Altobelli, 46; John Altobelli, 56; Christina Mauser, 38; and Ara Zobayan, 50.
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